This paper is concerned with the design of neural-network based autopilot control system. In this paper, the back-propagation algorithm is introduced and explained in detail. The system identification method based on neural networks for ship motion is developed and its efficacy is verified by using a simple ship maneuvering model. Problems which may arise in a complex maneuvering model are then discussed. The neural-network based system identification method developed in this paper can be used effectively for reconstructing the ship maneuvering moodel which is known to have nonlinearity.